Cults Research Paper

BACKGROUND

Cults, religious movements that originate outside established denominations, exist in many forms and recruit members using varying tactics. They are often headed by charismatic leaders who are believed to brainwash the cult members into submission.

BROWSE FOR BOOKS ON THE SHELF USING THESE CALL NUMBERS

291–291.9

133.4

290

362.2

LOOK UNDER THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS IN THE CATALOG (CARD OR COMPUTER)

Cults

Cults—United States

Sects

USE PAMPHLET FILE (ALSO CALLED VERTICAL FILE) UNDER THE HEADING

Cults

REFERENCE MATERIALS THAT MAY HELP (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

Butterworth, John. Cults and New Faiths: A Book of Beliefs, 1982.

CQ Researcher, May 5, 1993.

Facts on File

Melton, J. Gordon. The Encyclopedia of American Religions, 1994.

Melton, J. Gordon. The Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America, 1993.

General encyclopedias

PERIODICAL INDEXES TO SEARCH (BOOKS OR CD-ROMS)

EBSCO Magazine Article Summaries

InfoTrac

NewsBank and other newspaper indexes

Readers’ Guide to Periodical Literature

SIRS (Social Issues Resources Series)

WILSONDISC

ONLINE DATABASES TO SEARCH

America Online

CompuServe

Dialog

Internet

Prodigy
KEY WORDS AND DESCRIPTORS FOR PERIODICAL INDEX AND ONLINE SEARCHES

Cults

Sects

Satanism

Christianity and occultism

Christianity and the New Age movement

VIDEOTAPES ON THIS TOPIC

The New Believers. Monticello Productions, 1990.

The Rapture. Columbia TriStar Home Video, 1992.

FICTION BOOKS RELATING TO TOPIC

Nasaw, Jonathan. Shakedown Street, 1995.

Slepian, Jan. Something beyond Paradise, 1987.

Tolan, Stephanie S. A Good Courage, 1988.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 6336, Weston, MA 02193.

Cult Awareness Network, 2421 W. Pratt Blvd., Ste. 1173, Chicago, IL 60645.

SUGGESTIONS FOR NARROWING THIS TOPIC

Report on a specific cult; e.g., Hare Krishna, Unification Church, Branch Davidians.

Discuss recruiting and mind control techniques employed by some cults.

Research ancient cults; e.g., Druids, Apocalyptic cults.

Discuss the moral, ethical, and legal issues surrounding cults and freedom of religion.

SUGGESTIONS FOR RELATED TOPICS

Deprogramming

New Age movement

Nostradamus

Occultism

Parapsychology

Waco Branch Davidian Disaster

This RESEARCH TOPIC GUIDE is intended to help the library user find information and materials on a particular topic in many sources throughout the library. Resources on this topic are not limited to those described and availability will depend upon the individual library. Feel free to ask a librarian for assistance.